PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A Pawtucket man with a lengthy record of drug convictions was sentenced in federal court on Monday to 188 months in federal prison, followed by 6 years supervised release, for possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute, announced United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha. Charles Newton, 33, pleaded guilty in July 2010 before U.S. District Court Chief Judge Mary M. Lisi.

According to court documents and information presented to the court by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gerard B. Sullivan, on December 1, 2009, the Pawtucket Police Department Special Squad, assisted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), culminated an investigation of the defendant’s drug dealing activities with the execution of two search warrants and his arrest.

The first warrant was executed in a storage shed which investigators had under surveillance. As police entered the shed, the defendant charged and struggled with officers, tossing a large handful of cocaine into the faces of two of them. The defendant’s actions caused the officers to become violently ill, and experience breathing and numbness in their throats and tongues. Police seized more than 253 grams of cocaine, scales, cocaine cutting agents and packaging materials. Police also search the defendant’s home where they seized an additional 95 grams of cocaine and $3822 in cash.

Previously, Newton was convicted in Rhode Island state court on three occasions on a variety of drug charges including conspiracy, possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute, delivery of cocaine, and manufacturing cocaine. The defendant’s federal sentence includes consideration of the assault on the two Pawtucket Police officers.